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Overview

Hezekiah, after recovering from his near-death illness, received some guests from Babylon. He proceeded to show them all of the treasures located in his storehouses in Jerusalem. Isaiah the prophet shows up, curious about the reason for their visit and then proclaims a prophecy about the future deportation of Judean royalty to Babylon. 

Isaiah 39:1-2

At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.

At first glance, this interaction seems harmless. One king showing concern for another king. But rarely are such gestures without political motivations. This one proves to be no different. See at this time in human history, Babylon is what one commentator calls “a junior superpower”. Judah had held their ground against Assyria, Babylon’s mortal enemy. It seems the envoy from Babylon had secondary motives. Nevertheless, King Hezekiah was flattered. Judah was nothing on the global scale and to be visited by a junior superpower provoked significant pride within the king. Pride made King Hezekiah blind to the truth. 

Some consider pride the first sin. I don’t know if that is the case, but I do know “pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). Pride inflates the glory of man. Pride leads us to make foolish decisions. Pride prevents us from trusting in God. 

Isaiah 39:5-8

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”

Isaiah speaks a haunting prophecy. Basically everything you just showed to Babylon—will be taken away. His own descendants will be taken into captivity and will become eunuchs and serve the King of Babylon. But the response of Hezekiah has always bugged me. It seems so selfish, so incongruent from the man who laid himself bare before the Lord, begging for YHWH to rescue His people. 

What happened to Hezekiah? Well, I think we shouldn’t draw strict conclusions about Hezekiah. Without question, he wasn’t perfect, but he was a righteous king. But what can we learn from Hezekiah? The king’s response reminds us that Satan is prowling around seeking someone to devour. Satan doesn’t sleep. He is always lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment. Hezekiah wasn’t prepared for the temptation that led to the sin of pride. Rather, seeking the approval of men won the day. Christian, be vigilant. Be steadfast. An envoy from Babylon is not going to show up on your doorstep, but some temptation will. Don’t let them into your heart—into your heart. Close the door. There is nothing out there for you. All the riches of Heaven are found in your relationship with God. Believe that today.